Search

The balcony Starbucks at Macy’s Herald Square is definitely impressive. It actually got renovated this year and was closed for several months. But obviously Macy’s and Starbucks made sure it was all shiny and new before the holiday season.

The balcony floor is also know as floor one and a half, and it overlooks most of the women’s perfume and jewelry department, which is by far the busiest section of Macy’s all year round. Luckily, the renovation seems to have added more seating and more style to this Starbucks. Now there are cushioned seats, mini tables, and dividing wall units that do a descent job at separating the Starbucks lounge from the crazy crowds.

And yes — the crowd is crazy. I’ve waited in line at this Starbucks for over 15-minutes in the past. But fortunately today I caught it at a good time and waited only 2-3.

I thought this location was the only one in New York to offer what Starbucks calls their “Evening Menu” that includes champagne; however, the barista informed me this is not the case. He said there was another Starbucks on the 2nd floor of Macy’s that is known as the Herald Square Cafe, and I could get champagne and wine up there.

Here, I thought there were only four Starbucks in the Macy’s Herald Square, but technically there are five. So clearly my exploration of Macy’s is not over just yet.

The Good:

The Location… Overlooking the most populated floor of the largest department store and close to the 1/2/3, N/Q/R and B/D/F/M trains.

The Convenience… Probably the most conveniently located Macy’s Starbucks. It’s closest to the ground floor so you could technically be in and out of Macy’s in under five minutes.

The Seating… A good amount of casual cushioned seating and tree trunk styled short stools perfect for taking a moment to rest your feet, but not ideal for opening up a laptop or studying.

The Bad:

The Crowd… Very crowded. Although the line wasn’t too bad, the seating was nearly all full.

The Restroom… I think the closest one is located in the Macy’s cellar.